ACT for changes

Project Name: ACT for changes For Changes

Duration: September 2020- October 2021

Activity A1: Training course in Cyprus: 21- 27 June, 2021

Activity A2: Training Course in Georgia: 19-25 August, 2021

International two-part Training Course, which focuses on activism and youth participation

Applicant Organisation: Active Cypriot Programs and European Learning Into Acceptance, ACPELIA, email: acpeliacy@gmail.com

Coordinator organisation: Institute for Democratic Changes, Georgia

Project Manager: Nikolas Nikolaou email: nic_nicolaou@hotmail.com;

Trainers: Nikolas Nikolaou, Erma Georgiou: nic_nicolaou@hotmail.com, ermageorgiou17@gmail.com 

Nino Tsulaia, Elene Kapanadze, email: ninitsulaia@gmail.com,  kapanadzeelene1@gmail.com  

What About?

Duration: From 1/09/2020 till 31/10/2021

Activity: Training Course at Georgia and Cyprus for 32 youth workers and policy makers (4 youthworkers and policy makers from each organization) which focus on activism and youth participation with Non-Formal Educational Activities. 

First Training - ACT FOR CHANGES 1 - CYPRUS

- When? 22 to 26 of June 2021.

- Where? - Pedoulas, Cyprus, Elyssia Hotel

- Duration: 5 days + 2 travel days;

- The first training will gather 36 youth workers to discover alternative ways of participation, discrimination and the ways of combating it. in order to bring back to their organisation the competences and tools necessary to accompany young people from vulnerable groups in launching a local initiative. The majority of our participants to this seminar will be youth workers or young peers who come from disadvantaged/vulnerable background (young people with fewer opportunities), and preferably the same as their target group for the project.

Second Training - ACT FOR CHANGES II - CYPRUS

- When? August 20  till August 24 2021 as working days plus 2 days travelling

- Where? - Rustavi, Georgia

- Duration: 5 working days + 2 travel days;

- Seminar dedicated to non-violent activism and to use it as an alternative way of youth participation. The training course will directly involve 36 youth, youth workers and develop the competences of these youth workers working with vulnerable young people in non-violent activism for the recognition and valorisation of their participation in European society.

Summary

Act For Changes'' focuses on active youth participation and nonviolent activism.

Youth policies and youth work practice must support young people in realizing their full potential as autonomous members of society, enabling them to develop life plans and exercise their democratic citizenship. Participation is an essential element of citizenship in a democratic society and a democratic Europe. Youth participation is not an end in itself, but a means of achieving positive changes in young people's lives and of building a better society. Young people should be given advice, guidance and support about how best to be involved in decisions and actions that affect them in school, youth groups and in their community.

The tempo is high and the culture increasingly individualistic, so young people without safe networks are at risk to be marginalized and tend to play a passive role in their communities. Active citizenship and participation are not just slogans but key concepts to build an inclusive society.Through the project we would like to reach young people living in Europe who have

Social,Economical, Geographical, Disability obstacles. Non-formal education is one of the best way for the target group to make them think about their role in the communities.

The Project will approach principles and practices of nonviolent change processes we bring together young people in order to gather and design nonviolent campaigns for creating accessible and inclusive participatory processes in their communities. Considering objectives of the project participants will be informed about key elements of active citizenship and how to use their competences to be involved in the decision making process. Our society needs young motivated people who will take responsibilities, identify problems and needs of their community, think about its solutions, act and bring changes.

ACT for Changes - is the first transnational activity of the project and it will allowparticipants discovering other local realities and discussing discrimination and ways to combat it, defining participation of young people with fewer opportunities and its barriers for the partnership, learning about the role of young people in communities and where we can meet youth participation on the way of democratic citizenship, learning about The Areas where young people should be involved e.i. health, transport, love and sexuality, housing and etc. as well discussing structures which supports young people's involvement and participation processes e.i. youth councils... discussing the involvement of stakeholders in issues faced by vulnerable youth, how each organisation is involving stakeholders in their work and learning how to include them in the activities, getting some inspiration from each other and planning the local phases.

Aims of the Project

Aim of the project is to promote non-violent activism as an effective tool for youth participation and inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities, particularly young people living in villages, internally displaced young people, refugees and minority groups.

Main objectives of the project are:

-To support cooperation and communication process among young people with fewer opportunities living in different part of Europe;

-To get familiar with elements and forms of discrimination and how and why to combat it;

-To get familiar with the concept of democratic citizenship;

- To raise awareness about main principles of youth participation and non-violent activism as an effective instrument;

-To increase competences of participants on social/non-violent activism and analyze the connections with youth participation and democratic citizenship;

- To increase competences of participants to initiate, design and implement nonviolent actions and campaigns through digital tools (photography, videography).

- To provide a safe space and opportunity for participants to plan and implement follow up actions in communities;

-To provide young people with an opportunity to present their culture, learn about others and share their specific attitudes;

- To get familiar with Erasmus + program elements and its' benefits;